What type of agents kill bacteria?

Bactericidal agents are specifically designed to kill bacteria. They achieve this through various mechanisms, such as disrupting bacterial cell walls, inhibiting protein synthesis, or interfering with essential metabolic processes. This results in the destruction of the bacteria, making them effective for treating bacterial infections.

In contrast, bacteriostatic agents inhibit the growth and reproduction of bacteria but do not kill them. They work by interfering with bacterial protein synthesis or other cellular functions, which allows the immune system to overcome the infection. While both bactericidal and bacteriostatic agents are important in the treatment of bacterial infections, only bactericidal agents directly cause the death of bacteria.

Antiviral agents focus on viruses and are ineffective against bacterial infections since they target the unique processes of viral replication. Fungicidal agents, on the other hand, are designed to kill fungi, not bacteria. Therefore, the classification of agents capable of killing bacteria directly points to bactericidal agents as the correct answer.